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Cedars Restaurant

3.5 star rating
based on 89 reviews

Categories: Middle Eastern, Indian/Pakistani  [Edit]

Neighborhood: University District
4759 Brooklyn Ave NE
(between 47th St & 50th St)
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 527-4000
  • Hours:
    Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
    Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
    Sun 1:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
  • Price Range: $$
  • Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
  • Parking: Street
  • Attire: Casual
  • Good for Groups: Yes
  • Good for Kids: Yes
  • Takes Reservations: Yes
  • Delivers: No
  • Take-out: Yes
  • Waiter Service: Yes
  • Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
  • Outdoor Seating: Yes
  • Good for: Lunch, Dinner
  • Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
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"A+++++  This is definitely the best indian restaurant I've eaten at so far in Seattle.  I've eaten almost everything on the menu- and I've…" read more »

89 Reviews for Cedars Restaurant

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Photo of Guy S.

 

20

99

Guy S.

Woodland Hills, CA

3 star rating
08/06/2008

This place doesn't look really nice. The inside looks old, the walls look old, etc. However, the food tasted pretty good. I had mango lassie which was really good. Vegetable Samosas, Garlic naan, and chicken vindaloo. All were really good. No IBS after so I would definitely check this place out if you're in the mood for good Indian food.

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2 star rating
08/09/2008

This restaurant, which so many people I've known have held up as the holy grail of Indian food in the U-District, leaves me unimpressed. I've been at least four or five times, because I wanted to be more fair in my opinion, but nothing has swayed me.

The food is not too memorable, and the samosas (I freakin' love samosas) are underseasoned. The menu can be misleading in terms of lunch deals, which sucks when you're trying to both eat out and save money. The water glasses go unfilled, the waiters seem rushed/overburdened, and the jalfrezie just isn't as good as you can get elsewhere. Heck, I've made better at home myself.

Furthermore, I've been told by numerous friends, some of whom don't even know one another, that the restaurant keeps the tips, as in the waiters don't get them. I don't like that. Boo. Boo, I say!

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Elite '08

13

61

Brien H.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
07/28/2008

My fave Indian restaurant so far!

Never had a NON-delicious food item here, even when delivered in a sterile styrofoam to-go container.

The Masala is sweet, creamy, and flavorful over chicken that is cooked just right.  The rice they serve with everything is incredible- long-grain white rice with herbs sparingly sprinkled within.  The veggies are of the perfect al dente-ness, and despite usually being anti-fungus I can even enjoy the 'shrooms.

The Naan could be my favorite part about this place,  with chicken, pesto or cheese-stuffed options available in addition to plain and garlic varieties.  Always lightly crispy but with a pizza dough chewiness, this is the best, bar-naan (hee hee, sorry).

Only slightly on the 'spensive side, plates from $11-16 or so, but well worth the extra bucks over other places in the area, including Tandoor and Bombay Grill.

Save room for one of their exotic desserts, or at least the 5th-Avenue-sans-chocolate-like Halvah.  They do it right.

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121

safa s.

Anaheim, CA

2 star rating
08/03/2008

I can't believe this place is so popular.  Greasy, tasteless Indian food.  Out of 5 dishes, 3 tasted the same.  Maybe people in this area haven't had much authentic or good indian food.  It is way too expensive for the type of food.

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40

169

Margarita V.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
07/25/2008

This review is partly for my husband who loves this place. We first went to Cedars on Brooklyn on Father's Day. It was for dinner and it was very busy. However, they were able to accomodate us by sitting us near a window so my husband could make sure the older son's new bike was still affixed to the bike rack.

Understandably, it was very busy this evening. We ordered many things from the menu. The dolmas, samosas and a platter of some sort, along with entrees of chicken tikka masala, a platter of food and my son had a curried fish. All of this was very good. My particular favorite is that tamarind sauce they give you with all the dishes. It really compliments the spicy and the richer dishes well. The only bad thing that happened was that it took forever to get our check, our credit card, etc. We also were seated next to a mom and daughter who argued about everything. It was like they went to dinner just to fight. We learned too much we didn't need to know how the mother was an alcoholic and the daughter was a B****. It was a very PG-13 moment for my kids.

Another visit we had here, I had the spinach daal and that was delicious as well. This is a nice place to go to for a guaranteed delicious meal. It seems to be crowded all the time, but we never have trouble getting seated promptly.

The staff is also very friendly!

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9

111

Ane P.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
07/21/2008

Cedar's has been a family favorite for years now. When we're wondering where to eat and have become indecisive, we can all count on the fact that we will be satisfied by eating at Cedar's. These days it tends to be very packed, and should probably be avoided around the dinner hour. No worries though--you can still get many of your favorites on the lunch hour, and at a slightly discounted price! They have added a spice shop which I think is nice, but you will most likely be told to wait in there if the place is busy and they are trying to find you a seat.

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6

103

Angie Q.

Portland, OR

3 star rating
06/30/2008

I have mixed feelings about this place. Yes, I've been a repeat customer but it's mainly because I'm weak and I crave the butter chicken! The service is strange.. You can tell management puts a lot of emphasis on service and efficiency. The wait staff always seems like they are in such a hurry! Friendliness is not an option here. Food is decent. I really do hate the sponges they use to wipe the tables down.

And why is it that sometimes they give you free dessert and sometimes they don't? How come a table who finished before and after me got dessert and I didn't..? Hrmm

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3

9

Jim M.

Milpitas, CA

5 star rating
07/23/2008

Cedar's was my first introduction to Indian food, and is the bar by which I measure just about every other Indian/Pakistani place I've eaten at. Perhaps a little unfair, but not unreasonable.

I can't stress this enough: The nice people at Cedar's will make your food exactly as spicy as you want it. Granted, this is a scale from "zero" to "six" or thereabouts, but zero will get you exactly that - no spices other than what comes naturally in the food. If you have a problem with spicy food, order it Zero Spice. This makes crowds of people with mixed tastes easy to accommodate, and you can all still eat well.

Sadly, I haven't been here in forever (haven't been back to Seattle in a few years), but I have fond memories of the Butter Chicken, and the Naan and Baklava were to die for. Shiny!

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Elite '08

13

81

Lauren T.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
07/02/2008

I was meeting someone here and didn't know the exact address so I called Free 411 and received the other Cedars Restaurant by mistake, the one on 43rd. But not to fear, I did find it by some stroke of luck, which basically involved driving in smaller and smaller circles until I stumbled upon it. Yes, the "On Brooklyn" part would have been helpful.

I had a good dining experience at CROB. The service was speedy and we received a lot of attention. Of course, we ate dinner around 5:30, which is much earlier than usual... The mango lassi, iced chai, lamb biryani, butter chicken, tikka masala and garlic naan were excellent. I picked at my friends' meals, obviously. The bill wasn't low, but we all took home seconds.

One annoying thing is that the parking lot next door is now monopolized by Walgreen's, so you have to park across the street at Safeway. But after a big meal, a bit of walking is the least we can do, right?

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53

Sione P.

Edmonds, WA

5 star rating
07/23/2008

The Cedars Restaurant has always been my goto place for Indian in Seattle.  It's been at the top of my Indian list for years and I LOVE the place!  I do love the food here immensely!  The Butter Chicken is fantastic!  The nan is usually quite a portion and we always order a couple, plain and garlic.  My fave dish, though, is the Coconut Curry with chicken!  Yum-o!  The chai here is also pretty freakin' fantastic and they'll keep filling it for you all night long (unless it's a packed house).  I love the baklava that they bring out with the bill!  This place is a good place for a casual, yet still nice date or for groups!

On the unfortunate side, when it is packed is a terrible time to go!  I mean TERRIBLE!!  It's not that the food goes down in quality, but you can be sitting around waiting for more service for a LONG time.  It's understandable and it can get ridiculously busy, especially on a Friday evening, but it can be aggrevating if you aren't interested in waiting for the food.  I always think it's worth the wait, but still try to avoid "rush hour".  Unfortunately, they've missed the baklava that used to always be brought out with the bill a couple of times in the more recent history.  Unfortunate especially because it's a great ending!  We just had to order it then.  Lastly, and also quite unfortunate, is the parking situation.  Ever since that Walgreens moved in next to it, The Cedars' parking has been pushed across the street to Safeway's lot and there is little available parking there.  If you're lucky you'll find a spot in there or right on Brooklyn, but if you're smart you'll walk or bus over!

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9

Alexa B.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
06/22/2008

I had heard great things about this place and thought it would definitely measure up considering how busy it was on a Sunday night. However, it didn't seem to live up. I ordered the madras chili masala with shrimp, which was very good. But the vegetable biryani was lacking in flavor and spice. I had ordered it at a 4, but it wasn't spicy at all. The naan had a great texture but wasn't very garlicky.

I definitely have to try this place again to give it a fair shot, and i do think it will satisfy anyone's Indian food craving. But, i hope i order better next time.

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26

Raven D.

Woodinville, WA

4 star rating
07/02/2008

I have been going here for years.  It's one of my favorite restaurants that's still in business (although I hear the owner, Mohammed may be retiring soon) unlike places like Stella's, which closed despite high popularity.

Let's talk about the cons first: if it's busy, service will not be as good and your wait will be long; the wait staff does not linger because they are paid hourly and the tips go to management, which pays for the benefts for the employees; you won't always get a free slice of halva at the end (and that's ok by me, I don't care for it); some of the menu is hit or miss, stick with the North Indian food and avoid anything you might find on a Greek or Lebanese menu (e.g. bitter dolmas)

Really excellent pros:

1. CHAI made in house is creamy and sweet and as many free refills as you can handle

2. THE BEST BUTTER CHICKEN in Seattle, made with lots of cream and just a few small pieces of tandoori chicken, because really, it's about the sauce.

3. Great NAAN, give the plain, garlic, and spinach varieties a try (best used in tandem with food)

3.orange-green VEGETABLE PAKORAS ensure that my daughter eats some of her vegetables, and unlike some Indian restaurants, they don't make their veggie pakoras out of mostly potatoes and onions, but instead use leafy, green vegetables

4. ROYAL BIRIYANI WITH VEGETABLES is mixed with saffron, raisins, cashews, and a variety of vegetables including some of the best seasoned, most tender cauliflower you're likely to taste.

5. BABA GHANOUJ has a creamy texture, served elegantly with a drizzle of olive oil, a sliced olive, paprika and herbs--excellent with pita or naan and rather filling

6. VEGETABLE KORMA is as creamy as the butter chicken with the same variety of vegetables in the biriyani.

7.   BAKLAVA is sticky and sweet as it should be.  Lots of honey on these, so use plenty of napkins.

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Elite '08

40

168

Michael E.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
05/30/2008

I find this to be the best in town.  I love it.  As my dinner date points out, they have twinkle lights.

I've never been to India, but I ate at an all you can eat place in college once a month, so I have that as a base line.  Oh I also ate Indian food made by real Indian chefs from India for about a year straight (for lunch), so I've got that as well.

The fish Marsala was the best and I can't go an Indian meal with out some nan and tandoori.  Enough to be dinner the next day!

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2

5

J Y.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
06/16/2008

I really used to love this place, but would caution anyone thinking of going here.  I got a really bad sandwich the other day.  So bad, I am pretty sure the marinade on their chicken is to mask the stench of rancid meat.

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Elite '08

11

92

Janet T.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
05/13/2008

Indian Food....yum! This place ranks high up there for indian food. The place is small and crowded on the weekends...actually its crowded every day! The chicken naan is so delish so make sure you order that as a side while you wait for your meal to come. Cedars has a delectable menu which includes indian and mediterranean. Indian and mediterranean you ask?? What a weird combination eh...i thought so myself but their mediterranean dishes are fabulous as well. Make sure you get the garlic mayo sauce with your meal...ask for extras since they tend to skimp on it.

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5

42

Ryan S.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
06/01/2008

After being at UW for four years, I felt like it was finally time to see what all the fuss was about with Cedars.  

So finally, FINALLY I went with my roommate and our friend there and waited and waited and waited to be seated (not a good start).  

We had pesto naan which was pretty good, but greasy in my opinion, and too much of a gargantuan portion, even for three.  Then came my falafel, which I was excited about.  Let me tell you.  It was like biting into a dust ball, and my friends agreed.  What the hell cedars?  I don't think I'm going back.

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8

22

kristin m.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
05/23/2008

Wow - stuffed grape leaves in the best presentation you could imagine for such finger food, guaranteed to have you savoring them and the great red and green side sauces with a fork. This place was packed, and affordable.

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7

Rainer N.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
07/08/2008

Good food. What can i say!

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Elite '08

17

77

Ameenah S.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
04/22/2008

Cedars is always packed! That is because their Indian fare is mouthwatering. Their mango lassi's are made perfect! Not to sour, not too sweet and not too thick!

I agree they are very aggressive when it comes to keeping your water cup filled. I love the fact that if I want to make Indian food at home, I can just stop in to the small grocery area and buy my spices, sauces and mixes right there, but then again...since I am smart, I know that Cedars is charging wayyyy too much for those items. I can find em much cheaper at the Indian Grocers!

Now let's get down to business and rate the thing that keeps me going to Indian restaurants. Butter chicken! (Chicken Tikka Masala) My legs were shaking after one bite of this delicious treat. Could it be possible that a restaurant has successfully recreated my Naan N Curry favorite!? Pretty darn close!

I enjoyed this restaurant! They've got great food, great service and a great shop on the side! Anyone wanna take me?

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Elite '08

37

77

Sarah P.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
03/24/2008

My favorite Indian joint-

Close to UW campus. My friends & I would come here all the time after classes or during class (when we'd ditch to get food instead =O).

It's always busy. They are very prompt about seating you as well. But the service is so fast you almost feel like they wanna rush you out the door.

#1 at refilling your water. I swear they refill your water every 2 mins? After one sip! Sometimes I don't even notice. Now that's ninja skills.

What I like to grub on:
-spinach naan with that minty green chutney.
-tandoori chicken tikka with basmati rice
-any of the curries (butter chicken & vindaloo my recommendations)
-baklava!!! drizzled with honey
-psst, sometimes they give you a free dessert. tastes like a butterfinger treat!

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Elite '08

39

67

Jessie D.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
01/15/2008

I have a confession to make. I am a habitual eater. I find something I like on a menu, and I HAVE to order it every time. At Cedars, this is the Butter Chicken with a side of plain naan. If I'm really feeling crazy, I'll order a Mango Lassi.

I have recently come out of my butter chicken addiction, but for a while there, I would regularly crave it to the point of wondering I should check myself into a clinic. In fact, now that I am writing about it again, I think I feel some cold sweats coming on.....

But really, the rice is wonderful, the butter chicken is full of flavor and spices, and the naan sops up all the extra sauce goodness.

Eating in there is a bit of an experience, and I've heard the same rumors about how the management doesn't tip their waitstaff, but I know how urban myths start. Whenever I've heard about it, it was always "a friend of a friend used to work here....". So I'll still tip the regular amount and pray to the service and hospitality gods that my tip ends up in the right hands.

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6

14

Anne P.

Seattle, WA

2 star rating
04/05/2008

Eh. That's how I felt about Cedars. Their Indian food seems to shine a little brighter than the rest. The falafel did not. It came on a plate with iceberg lettuce, little sauce, and hardly any tomato or cucumber. The pitas were not fresh. I didn't even finish.

I would have given Cedars another star, were it not for the service. Cedars always seems to be busy, so I understand the need to get people in and out in an orderly manner. Upon walking in, I waited for a moment to try to understand the order of how things were done, since none of the people behind the counter acknowledged me. I hestitated, but decided maybe they didn't see me and went up to the counter to put our name on the list. The man who I tried to put my name with got very impatient with me and told me to please just wait. So we did. Without putting our name in. And they ended up seating people who came in after us before us. Boo!

The servers were all very nice and attentive, but when it came time to pay the bill, the owner came over and made us leave because he wanted to use our table for another party (with no apologies). In my opinion, you don't kick somebody out who is supporting your restaurant and a paying customer while they are about to pay the check! One of the members of my party was still finishing their drink as well. I've heard of this same situation (getting kicked out once you're finished with your meal when it is busy) happening to others.

If you decide to go, make sure you go when it's not peak time and you'll get better service. And definitely go for the Indian food...it's pretty good.

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2

8

Sam K.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
03/22/2008

I've been going to Cedars since my college days at UW.  It's by far one of the best Indian restaurants on the West coast, from Vancouver to SD, I've never found any naan so fluffy and chai so tasty.   It is true that this place does have long waits and hurried service at times, but it's more due to the fact that this place is so freaking popular than the ownership not caring.   As mentioned several times on this thread, they have a sister restaurant, Taste of India, just a couple blocks away if you want a less hectic dining experience.   Overall, the place is great: there is free parking,  the food is always consistently delicious, and my stomach is always happy after a meal at Cedars.  

Mango Fish Curry, Paneer Palak Masala, and Buttered Chicken Dreams.

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4

118

C P.

Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
02/16/2008

I went there with a friend 4 years ago, and I could never forget the mango curry there. I don't think it's a typical Indian dish, and I am always disappointed when I go to an Indian restaurant and am told they don't have mango curry...

Their naan bread was also de-liiiiicious. Pretty good butter chicken as well.

I miss their mango curry!

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Alyse C.

Edmonds, WA

5 star rating
03/18/2008

This is the best Indian food I have ever eaten. I crave it almost weekly. I have tried to satisfy my cravings else where and it's just never the same. The service is exceptional.. I always order chi tea, and they never let me empty the glass before it's refilled.. same goes for water or any other beverage. I would recommend Mango Curry or Butter Chicken. YUM!

Also - 3 outta 4 times it seems like they bring you free desert, even if they offer you desert before they bring the bill and you say no!

Can't go wrong with free desert!

5 stars for sure!

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55

Jon E.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
02/23/2008

This place is fine.  But I gotta couple nit picks:

1) It's yummy, but there's a lot better Indian food in the world.  The butter chicken tastes the same as the chicken tikka masala tastes the same as the chicken vindaloo.  The korma's pretty similar too.  Fortunately they're different colors so you can tell them apart.  This problem is the same from all restaurants by this owner -- the other Cedar's, Taste of India.  Fortunately they all taste pretty good, but they're supposed to be different!

2) What's up with reservations?  I've made reservations twice here, both accepted, and then I show up and I go on the list like everyone else.  They should just say they don't take reservations.

I hate to again promote my favorite Seattle Indian restaurant -- Bengal Tiger -- but they have much more interesting dishes!  Try not to go when I'm going though, I don't want to have to wait 45 minutes like people going to Cedar's do :).

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Vida A.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
02/04/2008

I've been here a number of times and the food never disappointed me but the service has! I can deal with awkward servers, and bus boys that dive in to steal away my plate or vacuum around my feet, but seriously, there's a line that is crossed.

A couple years back, I had come in for lunch.  Seated, menus, drinks.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  But then we wanted to order lunch.  The waitress said no! She said they wouldn't be serving food for another half hour!  Not only was I upset but the 5-6 other tables around me as well.  She said the owner told them to not take any orders but NOBODY told any of the customers prior.  I saw a few tables stand up and leave but we were hungry so we waited.  Then the food came and we ate and were promptly rushed out.  One server was very kind and apologetic and we asked if we could tip her...nope, she said she would get fired.  Whoever owns that place should be more respectful of their customers and their servers.  It really shows that the people who work there are not happy.

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mimo k.

Honolulu, HI

5 star rating
04/15/2008

so ono. why can't we have decent indian food in honolulu? if any place was as half as decent as cedars on brooklyn i would be so satisfied.  naan is v. good. chai is excellent. in fact, may be the best i've ever had.

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7

David B.

Port Orchard, WA

4 star rating
12/20/2007

My friend brought me to Cedars on Brooklyn before taking me to SeaTac. It was wonderful!

We started with the Cedar's Delight appetizer, which had samples of their lamb sausage, tandoori chicken, and other meats.

I had the Royal Biryani with Lamb. The rice was lovely and light and the lamb was fork tender. My friend had the Tikka Masala with Chicken. Also fork tender, and wonderfully spiced.

The thing to remember is that Cedars underspices their food. We both ordered medium spicing and it was just enough for flavor. I'm not all that into spicy food, and I'd have had a very bland dinner if my friend hadn't known to up-spice.

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Ben S.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
01/26/2008

If there's a better Indian restaurant in Seattle, I haven't eaten there yet.
The butter chicken and chicken tikka masala are rich, savory, and sweet.  The naan is heavy and buttery... they almost taste like pancakes!  Everything I've tried here has been delicious.

Also, one time my waiter, honest to God, sounded like a doggy squeak toy.  It was amazing.

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4

34

David J.

Las Cruces, NM

4 star rating
12/30/2007

I have been going to Cedars for almost a decade and still think that it is some of the best Indian Cuisine in Seattle. Must haves are the sizable Nans and of course - the Chai. I almost always get the butter chicken, but almost everything else is excellent, too. The wait staff are friendly and professional with the exception of one young Latina who gives my girlfriend and I the "look of a thousand daggers" when we go in. Mr. Muhammed is very nice and I feel like part of the family whenever I go. the prices have gone up in the last year and some of the dishes are kind of expensive for a U. District place, but the food is worth it. Remember, although the waiters and waitresses get paid pretty well, they don't get to keep their tips. So, when you tip big for the service, it isn't your friendly wait-staff that gets it.

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Sarah W.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
01/15/2008

I actually think the food is OK.

This review is because last time I was in here, no less than three separate people yelled at us for not finishing the food, and trying not to let us leave without taking a to go box.  I think one of them might have been the owner.

The food in question?  Ice cream.  Think about that.

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Dianne D.

Lynnwood, WA

4 star rating
11/08/2007

Yet another place that is never not packed (and yet another double-negative). I really do like Cedars on Brooklyn; I really do.

The lighting is dim, though I wish it could be a little brighter at night - I would like to see at least some more details about the meal I've ordered. Maybe I should just come by for lunch more often. The service varies from visit to visit, but I think I'm OK here as long as I get seated and I get my food.

I do have to mention one thing. I know it's not a purely Indian restaurant, but I still think it's a little odd how all their dishes have a beef option. As such, I never order beef here (as much as it's usually my default choice in other restaurants). I always order naan, though... and I love any of theirs that has spinach. I've stuck to my usual 3 choices for the main course, and have always been happy with them. The mango pistacchio ice cream is pretty good, though I'm not too crazy by the mango juice they carry - the flavor is watered down. They could get better.

Is it OK that I'm amused they carry Lindeman's framboise lambic? (I like it, but I'm just amused.)

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Case J.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
02/06/2008

This one is painful for me.  I ate here for a while, the food was generally good to excellent, but I can't recommend the place since I was made aware of the situation with tipping here.  Being in the service industry myself, I can't in good conscience continue to patronize a restaurant that exploits it's staff in this manor, no matter how good the food was.  After I was told about the restaurant keeping tips, I did eat here one last time, and actually received reluctant confirmation from a waiter that they were not allowed to keep their own tips.

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Emily M.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
01/03/2008

Since I was in High School, I've been coming to cedars to make my tummy happy. And now that I live blocks away, my tummy is even happier. Maybe it's just personal preference, but I love the chaotic serving style. And their food is perfect. Sooooo, I'd recommend it. Don't expect personalized service or much patience from the waitstaff, but think of it more as a tasty tasty experience with great peoplewatching.

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Elite '08

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Kaitlyn M.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
06/19/2007

This place makes me angry. I've been here a number of times, mainly because Indian food is the only thing that makes sense in the world, and it's a few blocks from where I live. Yet it sucks.

The service makes me want to cry. You walk into complete chaos. There is no apparent system for seating people - the owner (I am assuming) always just says " Your table is almost ready," which on one occasion turned into a 2-hour wait while people who had arrived after us were being seated left and right. They attempted to make it up to us by giving us some crappy dessert on the house but the damage had been done.

Now...onto the food...

Chicken Tikka Masala is arguably my favorite meal of all time. Yet during one visit to Cedars my friends and I couldn't decide whether the dish tasted more like macaroni and cheese or SpaghettiOs... and either way, that is not a good thing.

So, in conclusion...If you like chaos, bad service, and macaroni and cheese, Cedars is your place.

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Josephine M.

Seattle, WA

1 star rating
05/21/2007

I made a reservation for 8:00.  I showed up at 7:55, to make sure my table would not be given away, because this was for a special occaision.  My boyfriend and I were not seated until 8:45, and our server didn't appear to take our order until 9:00.  We were offered nothing but quick apologies, though we stood for almost an hour.  There were so many other walk-in people, and others waiting for their reserved tables, that there was no where to sit.  We were scrunched up against the extra tea and such they have for sale in the back.  

Yes, the food is quite good.  But there are far too many other options in this city to treat your customers so very, very poorly.  I have not been back since, and never will be, though we used to go for lunch on the weekends almost consistantly.  I have heard similar stories from others, and more than one group walked out that night after their reservations were not honored, either.

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Todd P.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
04/07/2008

I love trying Indian lunch buffets around town and always wished Cedars had one. This is because all of the 4 or 5 times I've been there I've always been unimpressed. Did I get the wrong thing? I've read so many great reviews and been told by people it's great. I'd say there's many better places in town. Try Kinishka in Redmond for lunch. It Rocks!!!

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Dani N.

Seattle, WA

3 star rating
10/14/2007

We went here for a few reasons: the Entertainment card (BOGO), recommendation from an acquaintance, and we had plans later in the area.  I read the reviews here so sort of knew what to expect.  We had 4 different people serving us although none seemed all that excited that we were there for dinner.  I could barely drink a quarter of my Chai before it was refilled (tasty but annoying).  It was very loud and cramped and I felt rushed once our food arrived (at which point the Chai ceased coming).  We were in and out in about 40 minutes - not my idea of a great date.

I give 3 stars because the Paneer Naan was excellent as was the Chai.  My main dish (chicken jalfraise) left quite a bit to be desired.

My recommendation: go have some Naan and Chai but don't stay for dinner.

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KIE B.

Bellevue, WA

2 star rating
09/07/2007

I went here after several people recommended it and discovered it really wasn't that good. My friend and I ordered a dish each and we ended up with something that was fried rice and something else. It tasted okay, but to give you an idea, we left the food after the meal. Didn't even bother take it home.

Turns out the ownership has changed in the last year or two and it's made a few of their dishes go down in level. The interior of the place is pretty unique, but really its just another site and dine place in the University area.

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